Patrick Malone
Psalm 146
10 June 2007

My biggest concern when Carolyn asked me to cover for her today was very simple: what I should wear?  A suit?   Nah, people wouldn’t recognize me.  I really wanted to wear one of my favorite t-shirts.  One that says “GOD RULES” on the front.  And “DUH” on the back.  When I suggested this to Carolyn she, surprisingly. thought it was a great idea!  I guess I just didn’t have the nerve, not wanting to insult the sanctity of the pulpit.   So Kelly, Caitlin, and I opted for a compromise with our UCC t-shirts.  But - little did I know that the one word on the back of one of my favorite shirts would become the central theme of our time together today.

The suggested scriptures for the service today were diverse in their message.  Kings, Galatians, ….  Unfortunately, my personal favorite scripture (Proverbs 21:19)  wasn’t among the options from which to choose.   In case you’re not familiar with that scripture, it reads as follows, “It is better to live in the corner of an attic than with a crabby woman in a lovely home.”   That would be the modern translation.  I think you can see why I chose to leave that one on the shelf!

No – today’s reading is from the book of Psalms.  Psalms is from the Greek word meaning ‘song.’  The book of Psalms is a like a book of lyric sheets.  It’s sort of like what you might load on an IPOD.  And it serves as the inspiration of many of today’s contemporary Christian rock songs.  Prayer, praise, thanks, trust, honor all appear in the words of the Psalter as it is sometimes called.  Some of the chapters are quite short.  Psalm 117 has two verses but is a powerful universal call to worship.  Psalm 119 has 176 verses and extols the glory of God’s law. 

Some have argued that today’s reading is evidence that God has a social gospel or social conscience.  This is not difficult to conceive given the scripture’s assertion that God executes justice for the oppressed; gives food to the hungry; sets the prisoners free; lifts up those who are bowed down; loves the righteous; watches over the strangers; upholds the orphan and the widow; and brings the wicked to ruin.  Certainly this social conscience, this social agenda with its foundation of compassion and justice was what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had in mind when he stated "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

But I think the real beauty of this scripture was captured by Rev. Eugenia Gamble, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, who made an interesting assessment of this psalm when she noted that this is not a text that simply says to us, "Say thanks to God when good things happen." It is a text that calls us to praise God in every circumstance, not because we want to or feel like it, but because of the very character of God.

And it’s at this point that she brings forth an interesting dilemma – the question of ‘thanks’ vs ‘praise.’   “Thanks” is what we feel toward God for specific acts of kindness or help.”  Most of us are pretty good about remembering to say thanks.  When things are going well.  When we’re sitting down at a meal.  When we’re told “this is the part of the service where we say thanks so let’s all say thanks together!”  But what happens when things aren’t going so well.  Hmmm…. You know what we do – we ask.  We ask for strength.  We ask for forgiveness, understanding, grace.  We ask to do well at work, or on exams.   Ask any seven year-old, there’s no shortage of the things we can think to ask for.

But praise is different.  Amidst the asking and the thanking (all of which fine) we sometimes forget to praise.  It’s what Rev Gamble referred to as “gratitude in action” and as a way of life lived in response to who God is more than what God does for us.

Songwriter David Crowder calls us to “Praise God under open skies… everything breathing praising God.”  But how good are we at it?  How tough is it to give of ourselves in the most unselfish way?  The fact is – it’s pretty demanding.  We’re humans and when life isn’t good, it’s difficult to praise.  You can pick up a copy of the Washington Post on any given day and find, on the front page, many reasons to get lost in the ills of modern society.  In a world torn by violence and poverty, it’s difficult to praise.  In a nation becoming more entwined in affairs in the middle east, it’s difficult to praise.  On I-270 Southbound at 8 o’clock on a Monday morning… it’s real difficult to praise. 

Yes.  Praise takes work - but we have the means.  Losing ourselves in silent contemplation of Carolyn’s delivery of God’s word each Sunday.  Listening to this remarkable collection of musicians and voices.  Watching the faces of the children as they skip up the aisle after the children’s moment.  Hearing the accomplishments of the various ministries here at our church.  That unbridled emotion you feel when you look into the eyes someone you love.  And if that’s not enough, other chapters in the book of psalms tell us we can clap hands, shout, be loud, be still, play musical instruments, lift our hands, dance, sing, or for those of us who can’t hold a note Psalm 98:4 says it’s okay simply to make a joyful noise!   Tom – can I join the choir if I simply make a joyful noise?

I remember growing up in Texas and going to church with my Aunt and Uncle as a young boy.  Kaufman Pike Baptist Church was a small brick church where my Aunt’s father was a self-ordained preacher.  Brother Bill was a hell-fire and brimstone Baptist with a heart as big as the state in which he lived and voice to match.  His booming sermons, the summer tents filled with sweaty Baptists eating corn on the cob, drinking iced tea, praying, offering testimonials, and singing their hearts out are still vivid in my memory.  There was definitely some praise in the house.  And it wasn’t always loud.  The quiet, heartfelt praise of this man during a time of prayer was glorification of God in a very real way.

When you get down to it – it really doesn’t matter how.  Psalm 146 is an imperative call to praise.  It’s not an option.  It’s not a choice.  It’s not the first step in the bargaining process.  It’s an impassioned exaltation of God, pure and simple.

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord, O my soul!  I will praise the Lord as long as I live;  I will sing praises to my God!  All my life long.

One of the most successful ad campaigns in American history was launched in 1988 by Nike – the Just Do It campaign.  Let’s alter that slogan slightly.  Just Praise God.  Duh.